1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer systems, and more particularly to an administrator station for the computer systems.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Computer systems became a scientific and commercial reality in the middle of the twentieth century. Large mainframe computers initially using vacuum tubes, then transistors, and finally integrated circuits were the norm in computer design for 25 or more years. Remote terminals were connected to these mainframe computers so that the computer users could be located some modest distance from the computer mainframe hardware. A smaller and less costly computer system called a "minicomputer" was developed and became very popular with the scientific community and small businesses. Remote terminals were still required if the minicomputer users wanted to access the minicomputer from different locations.
During the mid to late 1970s, computer hobbyists began experimenting with integrated circuit microprocessors which created "microcomputers." In 1982 International Business Machine (IBM) introduced a microprocessor based "personal computer" or PC for business use. Before IBM's introduction of its PC, microcomputers were mainly used by hobbyists and for some limited business uses. Several years before the IBM PC, Apple Computer had introduced its Apple II microcomputer with rudimentary word processing and spreadsheet software programs.
The IBM PC became immensely popular because it empowered individual workers with computing abilities heretofore only available on mainframe computers and minicomputers. The demand for personal computers attracted other microcomputer manufacturers and competition in the microcomputer industry became fierce. Competition quickly dropped the price of microcomputers and technological advances greatly increased their capabilities. The microcomputer became the defacto computer for personal and stand alone business use, but did not have the data storage capacity, program security and interconnectivity of the mainframe and minicomputer systems.
The aforementioned shortcomings of the personal computer changed when interconnection or "networking" of personal computers became commercially practical. In addition, the large data storage requirements and program security were solved with special purpose stand alone personal computers used as "network servers." The microprocessor based PC network server quickly became the backbone of all personal computer networks and was used extensively to implement both local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN) to link together vast networks of personal computers and their users. Present day enterprise business personal computer networks are rapidly replacing minicomputer and mainframe computer systems.
As more businesses begin to use personal computer networks and network servers, the emphasis on maintainability and up time becomes more and more important. Network servers are becoming increasingly more reliable and serviceable as dependence on business enterprise computer networks becomes more critical. Large enterprise networks require a plurality of powerful network servers that may be centrally located or spread over a number of different locations and linked together through communications servers connected to data communications circuits such as telephone, cable, microwave, satellite and the like.
Multiple network servers used for large and complex local area networks and/or communications servers handling a plurality of communications circuits may be located in a central area such as an equipment room. Typically, these multiple network and/or communications servers are mounted in rack panels or cabinets to conserve floor space, protect the equipment from physical hazards, and make servicing and administration more convenient. A video display monitor, cursor pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard are required for maintenance and administration of a server. Each server, however, does not require a monitor, mouse and keyboard connected to it at the same time.
Typically, a rack cabinet containing a plurality of servers will have a "switcher" which is a device used to connect a monitor, mouse and keyboard to each one of servers in the rack, one server at a time. There are circuits in the switcher that connect to the video monitor output, mouse port input and keyboard input for each of the plurality of servers in the rack cabinet. A video monitor, mouse and keyboard is connected to the switcher. The switcher thus selects the server that will be connected to the video monitor, mouse and keyboard for maintenance or administration purposes.
The video monitor, mouse and keyboard may be permanently installed in the rack cabinet, or they may be mounted on a moveable cart that is rolled from one rack cabinet to another. When mounted in a full size 42U (73.5 inches) rack cabinet, the monitor, mouse and keyboard typically occupy about 30 percent of the available rack space. In a 22 U (38.5 inches) rack cabinet, almost 60 percent of the available rack space is used by the monitor, mouse and keyboard. This is a significant amount of available rack space, and requires more racks to be used than are desired. An alternative has been the cart mounted monitor, mouse and keyboard, at best an awkward compromise that still requires significant floor space for the cart.
What is needed is a completely portable and/or more space efficient maintenance and administrator's tool that may be easily and reliably connected to each of the plurality of computer servers.